Yaesu FT7800R Mods and Programming Software

[CanuckMariner/Nomad]

As a new owner of this unit, I am still trying to figure out all its features and what to use for what. The manuals fine to explain how it works but not when one should use it and for what. Anyone an expert on this, would really appreciate some help.

1. Heard you can do some mods to this unit to increase frequency range (CB?, FRS/GMRS?, et al.) for receiving and transmitting? as well as commercial bands? Does anyone know of this and with instructions on how to do it?
2. Does anyone have or know of a freeware/shareware software package to program this unit? It takes forever to program by hand.
3. Are their specific applications where one might use all the different types of memory bands this unit has and which ones are for which?

Many thanks in advance!

 

[Hltoppr]

Here you go sir:

http://www.kb2ljj.com/data/yaesu/ft-7800r.htm

Mine should be here today, and I don't think I'm personally going to bother modding it, as I use my SAR radio for our local LE bands.

As for the software and uses, I haven't ordered it yet, so I'm in the same boat....just beginning to learn.

-H-

 

[gary in ohio]

As a new owner of this unit, I am still trying to figure out all its features and what to use for what. The manuals fine to explain how it works but not when one should use it and for what. Anyone an expert on this, would really appreciate some help.

1. Heard you can do some mods to this unit to increase frequency range (CB?, FRS/GMRS?, et al.) for receiving and transmitting? as well as commercial bands? Does anyone know of this and with instructions on how to do it?
2. Does anyone have or know of a freeware/shareware software package to program this unit? It takes forever to program by hand.
3. Are their specific applications where one might use all the different types of memory bands this unit has and which ones are for which?

Many thanks in advance!

Do you have a ham radio license? Its unclear if you do. If you do great, if not put it back in the box till you do. Check out http://www.rac.ca/ for info on becoming a ham in canada.
The radio needs no mods, Its a ham radio and covers the two ham bands its suppose to. Any mods for the purpose of transmitting would not be legal.

To program the radio you will need the programming cable and software. I dont know of any free software but there are some low cost ones floating around. As for memory, you have 1000 channels, actually 1055 with band scans. You also have 20 groups of 50 channels. I would use the banks for different areas or functions, for example, bank1 is daily drive channels, local repeaters, simplex. bank2 is maybe repeaters on the way to your fishing hole, bank 3 repeaters to the north, bank 3 near your favorite wheeling area, etc...

 

[gary in ohio]

Mine should be here today, and I don't think I'm personally going to bother modding it, as I use my SAR radio for our local LE bands.

You cant legally use it for SAR or anythign else not on the ham bands.

 

[Paul R]

You cant legally use it for SAR or anythign else not on the ham bands.

I think that is why he said he uses his SAR radio and won't mod the Ham...

 

[bigredpigdriver]

My friend you are going to start the age old fight over ham radio and doing mods...All I am going to say is if your going to do it know the risk, me I have done all my radios. There are site on the web you can get the info for...as far as programing I use this and found it to be easy to use....
http://www.rtsystemsinc.com

Best of luck
Dave

As a new owner of this unit, I am still trying to figure out all its features and what to use for what. The manuals fine to explain how it works but not when one should use it and for what. Anyone an expert on this, would really appreciate some help.

1. Heard you can do some mods to this unit to increase frequency range (CB?, FRS/GMRS?, et al.) for receiving and transmitting? as well as commercial bands? Does anyone know of this and with instructions on how to do it?
2. Does anyone have or know of a freeware/shareware software package to program this unit? It takes forever to program by hand.
3. Are their specific applications where one might use all the different types of memory bands this unit has and which ones are for which?

Many thanks in advance!

 

[mountainpete]

To avoid any confusion:

The use of ham radios for transmitting outside of government mandated amateur bands may be in violation of the laws of the land you live in. It is also a very sensitive topic for many members of the amateur radio community.

Therefore, let's close that portion of this topic and continue with discussion Jan's two other points. If you want to find out more about that topic, you are welcome to do a Google search.

Thanks,

Pete

 

[HenryJ]

Software: http://www.g4hfq.co.uk/

I would give it three thumbs up if I had them. Way better than the Yaesu software.

Cables : http://www.ttl2usb.com/

Both work great for me.

 

[CanuckMariner/Nomad]

Do you have a ham radio license? YES! Its unclear if you do. If you do great, if not put it back in the box till you do. Check out http://www.rac.ca/ for info on becoming a ham in canada.
The radio needs no mods, Its a ham radio and covers the two ham bands its suppose to. Any mods for the purpose of transmitting would not be legal. Thanks for the lessen!

To program the radio you will need the programming cable and software. I dont know of any free software but there are some low cost ones floating around. As for memory, you have 1000 channels, actually 1055 with band scans. You also have 20 groups of 50 channels. All in the book I would use the banks for different areas or functions, for example, bank1 is daily drive channels, local repeaters, simplex. bank2 is maybe repeaters on the way to your fishing hole, bank 3 repeaters to the north, bank 3 near your favorite wheeling area, etc...

Good idea and thanks!

 

[CanuckMariner/Nomad]

My friend you are going to start the age old fight over ham radio and doing mods...All I am going to say is if your going to do it know the risk, me I have done all my radios. There are site on the web you can get the info for...as far as programing I use this and found it to be easy to use....
http://www.rtsystemsinc.com

Best of luck
Dave

Thanks Dave, I didn't mean to start a fight and you are quite right to all, it is illegal! Having said that now, no point in posting it again. That wasn't my point. In a life and death situation it may mean the differrence and that is the main reason I got the ham. I appreciate everyone posting up it is illegal, of course it is, if it wasn't the ham radio would already come modified from factory.

Similarily, some mods people make to their rigs are not exactly street legal but they do it anyways and it won't help in a life and death situation.

So thanks everyone, I now know it is illegal.

 

[CanuckMariner/Nomad]

To avoid any confusion:

The use of ham radios for transmitting outside of government mandated amateur bands may be in violation of the laws of the land you live in. It is also a very sensitive topic for many members of the amateur radio community.

Therefore, let's close that portion of this topic and continue with discussion Jan's two other points. If you want to find out more about that topic, you are welcome to do a Google search.

Thanks,

Pete

Thanks Pete! This illegal stuff has been beaten to death!

 

[CanuckMariner/Nomad]

Software: http://www.g4hfq.co.uk/

I would give it three thumbs up if I had them. Way better than the Yaesu software. Didn't know they had any software?...I contacted them and they said it was not programmable. Go figure, they do not know there own product very well.

Cables : http://www.ttl2usb.com/

Both work great for me.

Thank you Henry, a good precise answer, rare around here at times.

 

[1leg]

I would argue that it is not illegal to mod your radio (except Cell freq??), It's only illegal if you Transmit on Freq, outside your Lic level. And then it's a little fuzzy it's perfectly legal to transmit on any Freq, if it in a Life and death situation.

Ham radio outlet sells a program to store memories.

 

[ntsqd]

I would argue that it is not illegal to mod your radio (except Cell freq??), It's only illegal if you Transmit on Freq, outside your Lic level. And then it's a little fuzzy it's perfectly legal to transmit on any Freq, if it in a Life and death situation.

That's a gray zone that has also been discussed at length. All of my vehicles can exceed the speed limit, yet operation at the approved speeds is still legal even though the device is capable of breaking the law. That is my take on the subject and there are those who don't agree or who read the laws differently than I do. That is their choice, as it is mine. I do not try to convert them to my way of thinking and only ask that they return the notion.

And by the way, it is perfectly legal (in the US) to use the radio to listen without a license. Suggest removal of the microphone if you opt to do this. At that point it is nothing more than a narrow band scanner. Some texts on the subject suggest this as a way to become familiar with how people use their radios.

One thing I want to point out is the original poster's location. I can validly claim to have 100% ignorance of what Canada's regulatory agency has to say about any of this.

 

[Jerry]

I realize I am reviving an old thread, but when I saw reference to a Yaesu FT-7800R I couldn't resist. I have two newly acquired 7800R's, one in our DD Ford Escape and the other in our modified Ford Bronco II. We use the BII for backroad day trips and it really takes a beating on rough roads and frequently gets quite dusty. I am wondering what folks think of their 7800's after running them for awhile. Are they holding up to rough-road and/or off-road vibrations? Dust?

I programmed both radios identically using G4HFQ Memory Management software and have approximately 120 frequencies stored in memory. Both radios are bone stock, no modifications. I am considering buying another one for our modified Wrangler and should I follow through that unit will REALLY take a beating - to say nothing of heavy dust and maybe even a few stray water droplets. Do you think the little FT-7800R would hold up? I suppose there are tougher radios like the Icom 2200 and V8000, but I like the idea of commonality in programming and operation. Wish I could find a used one cheap.
Jerry